Rail-joint



Y the slot will reta-ink the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' RAIL-JOINT. l

Application filed November 17," 1919.

To all u1/0m t may concern:

e it known that we,

lJVTLLTAM M. RYAN, citizens of the United States7 residing at Leakey, in the'county of Real and State of tain new and useful Improvements in` Railof which the following is a specili- Joints, cation.

This invention relates to improvements in rail joints and has for an object to provide rail joints in which the necessity for bolts and the like is eliminated. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail joint which will firmly hold the ends of rails against displacement.

Further objects andy details of the invention will appear as described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and hereafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification7 in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is an elevation proved rail joint; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

showin g our im.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 1() and 11 indicate in general two standard rails using our improved rail joint. In carrying out our invention slots 12 may be milled or otherwise made in the head1?) of` the rail with their inner sides forminga continuation of the surfaces of the web 14 of the rail and may extend throughout the length of the rail or just the required distance as will be hereinafter set forth.

The connector element 15 is constructed as best "shown in Fig. 2 in the form of ay sleeve which has a sliding iit `over the base and web of the rail.

edges 16 of the connector 15 may extend into the slots12 in the head of the rail. In' h cases where the edges 16 extend into these slots 12 in this manner,

sides lof the con'l nector 15 in position and reinforce andpro- Y therails and to the position illustrated in .r

tect them as will readily be understood` Y The operation of our rail joint is as follows: The connector 15 which is in the form of a sleeve is slipped onto the end of one of l Specification of Letters Patent.

Gnoncn B. RYAN and Texas, have invented cer- As illustrated,v the upper the outer edges of;

Serial N0. 338,549.

substantially the same distance. When 'in this position it can be fastenedby spikes inV the usual manner, as illustrated. The conl. The slots in the` railv at least as long asthe connector,y

Patented Aug. v17.119,20.'

the connector is shoved or driven that it will engage both rails forl nector may be notched in one or more places as at 17 in such a manner that when a spike is driven in place it will fasten the connector against endwise movement, thereby locking the joint. v

It will readily be seen that this form of rail joint will allow longitudinal play of the rails necessary for the expansion and contraction of therails due to variation in Y temperature and yet hold the ends ofthe rails in perfect alinement andV a solid joint.

We do not wish to limit ourselves to any specific construction or methods. as described in this specification for" the purpose of givingl examples or illustrations of our invention for it is` obvious that various changes iii the detailsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. Y v Claims:

1. A` rail joint comprising a connector sleeve formed from stock of uniform thickness forl closely engaging the bases and webs of the abutting ends of two rails and with the upper edges thereof fitting within grooves in the under portion of the heads of the rails, adapted to slide over the end of one of the rails and thereafter be moved to engage the ends of both rails. l

2.Inv a rail joint,4 the combination with so L rails having theunder `portions of their eads grooved, of a connector element therefor in the form of a sleeve made from sheet stock material of uniform thickness andA shaped so as to closely engage the surfaces of th the upper edges thereof e basesl and webs ofthe rails and with within said grooves.`

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures.l GEORGE B. RYAN. `YVILLIAM M. RYAN. 

